Dome light assembly



y a, 1938. w. MARSHALL ET AL ,1 317 DOME LIGHT AS SEMBLY Filed May 28, 1936 I up I 1 If 1%ij E 5 2 43 l N VEN TOR5, M2714: Marslrall,

7%11Z M ('amzener ATTORNEYS Patented May 3, 1938 PATENT OFFICE DOME LIGHT ASSEIHBLY g an Application. May 28, 1936, Serial No. 82,331

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to dome light assemblies particularly adapted for use in vehicle bodies, such as automobile bodies, an object of the invention being to improve and simplify the construction of devices of this kind while at the same timeproviding an improved dome light assembly whereby more desirable lighting effects within the car may be secured.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved dome light assembly which is compact, inexpensive to manufacture and one which can be installed quickly and easily with a minimum of labor. a A further object of the invention is to provide a dome light structure for a vehicle body in which the metal reflector is of improved construction, having formed therein a centrally located socket for an electric lamp bulb and in which the wiring connections and contact members are carried by the'supporting block or plate for the reflector and associated parts of the assembly. I

Another object of the invention is to provide animproved dome light assembly in which one of the electrical connectors serves as means for removably attaching the reflector to the roof member.

The above and other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and appended claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification.

Insaid drawing: I

'Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view illustrating a dome light assembly embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. i

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2,.looking in the direction of the arrows; and Fig. .5 is a perspective view of the reflector and dome or shield of the dome light assembly shown. "in disassembled relation.

Before explaining in detail the present invention, it is to 'be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it .is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose .of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirementsof the prior art.

In the drawing there is illustrated, by way of example, one embodiment of the present invention, the assembly therein shown comprising a suitable mounting or supporting block or member ill formed of wood or other suitable material removably attached by means of screws l2 to the disposed hole or opening it extending through to the outer or top face of the block.

The body of the dome light assembly comprises} as shown, a reflector or casing ll formed of sheet fiector has an outwardly directed flanged rim 18 which is cut away preferably at three spaced points to provide depending legs or members l9- having outwardly turned portions or feet 20. The

The block Ill is preferably provided in its under-face with a substantially frusto-conical socket or recess I5 which merges into a centrally metal and preferably chromium plated. The remetal of the reflector, at its apex, is extended upwardly to provide a centrally disposed sleeve or socket portion 2| provided with upright diametrically opposed slots or cut out portions 22. The legs iii are adapted to engage and support a globe or translucent shield shown as a whole at 25, the inner periphery of the rim 26 of the shield being provided with integral spaced lugs or projections "21, three such being shown. The shield 25 is preferably formed of some non-breakable material, such for example, as Tenite, although at the left to the right hand end thereof, this taper extending in two planes, namely in a horizontal plane from the inner face of the lug to the rim 26 and also in a substantiallyright angular .ing 16.

plane through the height of the lug, this last named taper extending likewise from the left edge of the lug to the right edge thereof. The purpose of providing the lugs with the dual taper or compound wedge-like form. is to cause the feet 20 of the supporting legs to bind in the slots 28 when the globe is applied to the supporting legs and rotated or turned in a clockwise direction relative to the feet 20.

As seen in Fig. 3 the reflector or casing I1 is preferably held in place within the socket i5 by means of a wood screw 30 and a bolt 3|, the bolt 3| serving the dual purpose of supporting the reflector and providing a-terminal post for one of the electric contacts, as hereinafter described. The end of the bolt or cap screw 3| projects into a recess Illa formed in the outer or top face of the block In.

The reflector [1 houses a source of light. The socket portion 22 thereof receives and supports the cylindrical base 33 of a conventional lamp bulb 32. The usual locating pins or studs 34 of the lamp base are inserted in the lower ends of the slits 22 and the bulb pushed upwardly until thepins 34 have passed through the slits, whereupon the bulb is turned in either direction until ,the pins engage over the upper edge or rim of the reflector socket 2!, thus holding the bulb firmly in the socket.

As best seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 an electrical contact plate 40 is applied to the outer or top face of the block I!) and overlies the hole or open- The contact plate or strip is held in place by screws 38 and 39 and is provided with a spring-like tongue 4| which is adapted to frictionally engage the central contact or tip of the lamp base 33. It will be noted that the terminal ofv the ground wire 42 is connected to the screw 39, this screw thus serving the dual purpose of maintaining the contact plate in place and as a binding post for the wire or conduit 42. The terminal ofthe lead-in wire or conduit 43 is adapted to be engaged by the removable binding post or cap screw 3| and is held in position upon the mounting block by means of an internally threaded contact plate or metal retainer member 44 which, as best shown in Fig. l, is preferably secured to the block I0 within I the recess Illa by means of nails or tacks 45. As

best seen in Fig. 3, the terminal on the lead-in or ground wire 43, being fixed in position by the securing plate 44, is electrically connected to the reflector l! by the removable binding post 31.

Thus the binding post or cap screw 3| serves the dual function of providing the ground connection for the reflector and of supporting the reflector in position within the block opening or recess.

From the foregoing it will be seen that by virtue of the present invention the dome light assembly consists of a reflector which can be made in a single stamping and a dome or shield member which is likewise made in one piece by casting or molding. The electrical contacts and wire terminals for the assembly are located at the back or outer side of the wood mounting block and are thus separate from and independent of the reflector and dome. Moreover, by virtue of this construction the block ID with its attached terminals and contacts may be first secured to the interior of the vehicle roof; thereafter the reflector can be applied to the inner face of the block, the lamp bulb slipped into the reflector socket and the dome applied to the depending legs or supporting lugs of the reflector anchoring said terminal thereto, and a device for to complete the assembly. It will be seen that the dome light assembly including the globe 25, reflector I! and lamp bulb 32 can be removed from the supporting member or block l0 without affecting or disturbing either of the fixed contacts to which the terminals of the positive and negative wires 42 and 43 are secured.

We claim: I V

' 1. A dome light assembly comprising a metal reflector having spaced depending supporting members formed from the metal of said reflector, a slotted sleeve portion integral with and disposed centrally of said reflector and providing a socket for a lamp bulb, and a globe having spaced integral lugs provided with wedge-shaped slots for receiving said supporting members to removably support said globe in spaced relation to said reflector.

2. A dome light assembly for a vehicle body comprising a metal reflector set into a correspondingly shaped recess formed in a roof member of the body, said reflector having a centrally disposed upwardly projecting socket portion located within an opening in the roof member,

spaced depending legs formed from the metal of said reflector, an electric lamp located within the reflector socket, and a shield removably atbody, said block having an opening therein a dome light reflector set into said opening, an electric lamp carried by said reflector, an electric conductor having a terminal member, a retainer member fastened to said supporting block for securing said reflector to the supporting member,

said device being anchored to said retainer member and forming an electrical connection with the terminal.

4. Adome lightrassembly for the interior of a vehicle body, comprising a wood mounting block' having an opening formed therein supported adjacent the roof of said body, fixed electrical contacts secured to the top face of said block, a

dome light assembly having a reflector'located in said block opening, and means for removably attaching said reflector to said block, one of said means detachably engaging one of said fixed contacts.

5. A dome light assembly for the interior of. a vehicle body, comprising a wood mounting block supported adjacent the roof of said body, fixed electrical contacts secured to the top face of said block, a dome light assembly having a reflector attached to the bottom of said block, means for removably attaching said reflector to said block, one of said means detachably engaging one of said fixed contacts, and aglobe removably'attached to said reflector;

6. A dome light assembly for the interior of a' vehicle body, comprising a wood mounting block supported adjacent the roof of said body} fixed electrical contacts secured to the top face of said block, a dome light assembly having a reflector,

contacts, and means 'for removably attaching said reflector to said block, oneof said means mounted in said socket and engaging one of said fixed contacts, means for removably attaching said reflector to said block, one of said means comprising a binding post detachably engaging the other of said fixed contacts, and a translucent 5 shield detachably connected with said reflector.

WILLIAM MARSHALL. PAUL M. CAMIENER. 

